Des Moines officers will patrol parks for fireworks violators
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A team of cops will patrol Des Moines parks to issue fireworks citations over the Fourth of July this year for the first time since state lawmakers reversed an 80-year ban on them in 2017.
Why it matters: Despite being illegal in DSM, annual forays of celebratory explosives have caused widespread damages to public property, including $20,000 in shattered downtown library windows.
- They also increase risks of fires or injuries and their noise can be problematic for people with PTSD and animals, chief Dana Wingert told City Council last year.
State of play: DSM police received thousands of complaints about fireworks but have issued few citations since the state ban was reversed.
- That's largely because enforcement requires positive identification and a witness, Sgt. Paul Parizek tells Axios.
Zoom in: The summer holiday comes during police's busiest time of year, when the number of 911 calls are already at a peak.
- Life-threatening emergencies take precedence over fireworks complaints.
- It can take more than an hour to respond and pyro violators are almost always gone when police arrive, Parizek said.
The big picture: Other metro cities have also struggled with how to resolve a "lack of common sense" among people who ignite illegal fireworks.
- Nearly 10,000 people in the U.S. were treated in emergency rooms last year for fireworks injuries and eight died, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Reality check: Even with DSM's park enforcement, it'll still be tough to catch many of the violators.
- The city has 77 parks and between two and four police will be assigned to patrol them for a 10-hour period that ends around 4pm on July 5.
Yes, but: The effort may discourage some people from lighting up.
- And — even with the cost of police overtime — it may save taxpayers from costly park repairs, Parizek said.
The intrigue: DSM reduced fines for illegal fireworks from $625 to $200 this year to better align with consequences in other metro cities, WOI-TV reports.
- Police issued no fines in 2022, two in 2023 and at least one so far this year.